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HIGHS

High School Outreach

Last year, VIFF welcomed more than 2,000 secondary students to weekday matinee screenings and offered them the chance to experience the very best in contemporary international cinema. In 2014, we’ve selected another set of films that are particularly relevant for today’s youth. Whether it's Scottish misfits starting a band, a vilified Cuban kid discovering a fierce defender in his teacher or Nas rising to stardom from Queens’ projects, these are vibrant stories that resonate with younger audiences and offer exciting glimpses into the same planet, different worlds we inhabit.

Films in this Series

Director Ricardo Troggi (1981) delights with this hilarious and sometimes caustic souvenir of his own life when he was 17 years old. Jean-Carl Boucher plays young Ricardo as a cockeyed Quixote, fearlessly tilting at the repressive tyranny of everyday adolescence. Inspired by a surreal vision, he’s on a quirky quest that involves raging hormones, family drama and petty crime.

In a vibrantly depicted Havana, 11-year-old Chala industriously cares for carrier pigeons and dogs on his apartment balcony. Trouble is, there’s easy money in dog fighting. The most important champion in his life however is his aging teacher, Carmela (the marvelous Alina Rodríguez), a woman who refuses to let the boy fall between the cracks and endures government reprisals as a result. Director Ernesto Daranas demonstrates equal bravery in confronting Cuba’s social ills. Winner, Audience Award, Málaga 2014.

Populated by gorgeous misfits and propelled by effervescent pop songs, this jubilant musical from Belle & Sebastian lynchpin Stuart Murdoch comically depicts a critical juncture for three Glaswegians when it seems they’ve no other option than starting a band. “It’s warm and generous… Even non-believers will acknowledge the film’s utter sincerity… It means what it says.”—Guardian. Winner, Special Jury Prize: Ensemble Acting, Sundance 2014.

Spain, 1966. A hapless English teacher (Javier Cámara) hits the road for the strawberry fields of Almeria, hoping to meet his idol John Lennon. David Trueba’s whimsical dramatic comedy is delightfully unpredictable. "This small gem offers a lovely evocation of Spain as well as a touching tribute to an unforgettable moment in time…"—Hollywood Reporter. Winner, Best Film, Best Screenplay, Best Actor, Goya Awards 2014.

Twenty years ago, Nas released Illmatic and redefined the sound of hip-hop with the album’s intricate jazz-infused rhythms and blunt-force rhymes. In his directorial debut, graffiti artist One9 looks back at the seminal record’s creation, as well as the environment and experiences that contributed to it. “It’s impossible not to get swept up in the energy of the era.”—Indiewire

Hormones are flowing in this powerful and provocative collection of short films showing teens grappling with issues of love, fickle relationships and questions of sexual identity—all of which are pretty important when trying to find your place in the world.

The Reel Youth Film Festival pulls together an insightful, compelling and hilarious collection of short films from across the globe—all made by youth. Chosen by a peer selection panel from hundreds of international submissions, this collection will show you the world through the eyes of an incredibly gifted emerging group of young filmmakers.

Back in the 1930s, in Vancouver’s old Japantown, a group of Canadian-born kids launched their own baseball team, the Asahi. Ishii’s lavish-scale entertainment chronicles their battles against failure, racism and prejudice—and the brief moment of triumph they enjoyed before Pearl Harbor changed everything. An epic tale, rich in humour and humanity. Tony Rayns

Thrust into the role of stand-in mother at the age of 15, Georgina dwells sardine-like with a handful of energetic rugrats—her five younger siblings—in a social housing condo at the outskirts of Bacau, Romania. Teodora Ana Mihai’s astute documentary gracefully paints a portrait of love and resilience. Winner, Best International Feature, Hot Docs 2014; Best Documentary, Karlovy Vary 2014.